ICYMI: Ford’s Recall for Potentially Deadly Doors Impacts Florida

TAMPA BAY, FL — Tampa Bay area residents who drive Ford vehicles will want to make certain their models aren’t included in a massive recall announced Thursday. Ford Motor Co. has issued a regionally based recall of about 830,000 Fords and Lincolns to fix a faulty side-door latch that causes doors to pop open while vehicles are in motion.

The recall focuses on a number of different models and is targeted to vehicles sold in states with “higher ambient temperatures and solar loading,” the automaker said in a statement. Those states include Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Oregon and Washington.

The Dearborn-based automaker said in a statement on its website that one accident and one injury may be related to the defect, a pawl spring in the side door that could break.

The problem typically prevents the door from latching, but in certain cases when the door is initially secured, it may fly open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury, Ford said.

Federal safety regulators have been investigating the issue with the doors for nearly two years amid dozens of complaints from owners of affected vehicles that the doors won’t close, activating the “door ajar” light. In some cases, car owners had to tie the doors closed, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Affected vehicles include those built:

• 2013-15 C-MAX, manufactured at the Michigan Assembly Plant, April 19, 2012 to Jan. 31, 2015
• 2013-15 Escape, manufactured at the Louisville Assembly Plant, Oct. 19, 2011 to Jan. 31, 2015
• 2012-15 Focus, manufactured at the Michigan Assembly Plant, Aug. 1, 2010 to Jan. 31, 2015
• 2015 Lincoln MKC, manufactured at the Louisville Assembly Plant, Dec. 4, 2013 to Jan. 31, 2015
• 2015 Mustang, manufactured at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant, May 28, 2014 to April 30, 2015
• 2014-16 Transit Connect, manufactured at the Valencia Assembly Plant, Aug. 9, 2013 to Feb. 1, 2016

The approximately 828,053 vehicles affected include 766,682 in the United States and federalized territories and 61,371 in Mexico.

Dealers will replace side door latches at no cost to the customer. In addition, Ford will launch a corresponding customer satisfaction program for vehicles outside the scope of this recall. If a vehicle exhibits a broken door latch, Ford will provide a one-time replacement at no charge for the life of the vehicle.

By Beth Dalbey, Patch editor